Throughout the years, pop culture has imposed a large amount of trends and shaped the lifestyle of its closer followers. It has achieved this impact because people have always been in contact with the different pop culture expressions and they often enjoy this type of entertainment. Moreover, according to Gerald Graff in his article “Hidden Intellectualism” pop culture or how he calls it “being a street smart” goes beyond entertainment and it is another type of intellectualism. Although pop culture can somehow promote critical thinking, its advantages in the long run should not be overestimated nor should the school knowledge be undermined.
With regard to critical thinking, it is intriguing how pop culture; as vague as it may sound, has actual benefits to individuals and general culture. The author using a personal example admits that “when you entered sports debates, you became part of a community that was not limited to your family and friends, but was national and public” (Graff 384). Thus, knowing about issues going on independently if it is about T.V shows, movies, music, fashion or sports, is an useful tool to establish conversations with others. Most people is immersed and constantly in touch with pop culture making conversations more easy. Besides, if taken
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Most of the things people learn from pop culture do not contribute to the creation of a better world, it is ephemeral knowledge. Furthermore, it can not be compared the knowledge that a student will receive from his or her school to what it is seen on television or a video game. Ultimately, the goal should be find a balance between the school work and appreciating popular culture. Finally, teenagers should stop seeing intellectualism as something wrong or “not cool” because after all, knowledge means